Typically a company or sufficiently large organization has shared resources or assets that various people use. In some instances those shared resources may include things or physical objects, such as, for example copiers, printers, fax machines, traveler's workstations or computers (e.g., an unassigned computer available for use by travelling or transient workers), etc. In some instances those shared resources may include locations, such as, for example, conference rooms, traveler's workstations or “hot” desks (i.e., an unassigned office space available to travelling or transient workers), etc.
Often times, it may be difficult someone to locate these shared resources, particularly if one is visiting a corporate site that one does not often visit or has never been to. For example, a worker might work at a company's Austin site but when that worker visits the company's San Jose site, they may find it difficult to locate usable office space, or printers, etc. Frequently, even if such a resource is found (e.g., an empty desk) such a worker may not even know if they are allowed to use the resource. It may be embarrassing for the worker to sit down at and begin to use an empty desk only to find out that the desk is reserved for someone else. Alternately, it may be frustrating to attempt to use a printer only to find out that the printer is out of order and that the search for a new printer must begin again. Other irritations and issues may arise when attempting to use shared resources.
In some case, even when a desired shared resource is located, there might be additional steps or actions that may need to be performed or additional resources may need to be located in order to use the resource. For example, a worker might need instructions on using the video or presentation equipment. In another example, even though a working printer has been found, the printer paper supply might be low or empty and the worker may need to locate more paper.
Likewise, often local or non-traveling employees, members of the organization, or guests, have a similar need of need to know if a desired resource is available or functional. Traditionally, a worker would have to physically go to the resource or location and find out it may or may not be available or functional. For example, to see if a conference room is available, one needs to travel to actual conference room and look to see if anyone is using it. Such a traditional scheme costs valuable time and has the disadvantage of not always being accurate (e.g., a conference room may be reserved but the reserver may simply be late, leading the worker to incorrectly view the empty conference room as available when it is not, etc.).
Often any of these or other problems may occur and often a worker does not know who to contact to resolve the problems or what to do to use the resources correctly and effectively.